Client gender, diagnosis, and family structure

Patients' images in nursing magazine advertisements

Images of patients in advertisements can reflect and influence readers. Since studies have shown discrimination against women and minorities in health care, images of patients in nursing practice magazine advertisements (n=446) were assessed for their reflection of reality. More male than female images were found. Men were shown more frequently as critically ill or with cardiac disease than women. Most patients were Caucasian and under 65 years old. These findings, at variance with reality, may influence nursing care. Nursing magazine readers may perceive women as less critically ill and with less heart disease than men. The underrepresentation of minorities and the elderly negates their health care presence.

The effect of clients' family structure on nursing students' cognitive schemas and verbal behavior

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate if nursing students stereotype clients on the basis of family status. In addition, the influence of information about the client's family status on students' predictions about the client's behavior, information sought from the client, recalled information, and verbal responses directed toward the client were examined. The participants were 83 nursing students from a large Midwestern university. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Brief written information about a female adult client with a vaginal discharge was provided and, after listening to an audiotaped interview between a nurse and the client, students completed a battery of questionnaires. They also responded verbally to questions asked by the audiotaped client. All information given to both groups was identical except for the client's family status. Results indicated that the client who was a married mother was perceived somewhat more positively than the unmarried mother client. Participants' perceptions were only somewhat consistent with cultural stereotypes about these family statuses. Information sought and information remembered about the client were greater when she was an unmarried mother. There were no differences in predictions of patients' behaviors and verbal responses.

Gender stereotyping and nursing care

The effect of gender stereotyping on nursing care was examined. Eight conditions were created in a posttest-only experiment by completely crossing patient gender (male/female) by memory load (low/high) by patient health status (stable/unstable). One hundred sixty nurses read the same patient vignette. The vignette differed in patient gender, memory load, and patient health status. The nurses then estimated the minutes needed for specific nursing interventions with the patient. Nurses planned significantly more ambulation, analgesic administration, and emotional support time for the male patient, despite the presence of individuating information. More accurate, effective nursing care is possible when nurses are aware of the effect of gender stereotyping on nursing care.